The contribution of Medical Physics to Nuclear Medicine: looking back - a physicist’s perspective

BACKGROUND: This paper is the first in a series of invited perspectives by four pioneers of Nuclear Medicine imaging and physics. A medical physicist and a Nuclear Medicine clinical specialist each take a backward look and a forward look at the contributions of Medical Physics to Nuclear Medicine. DISCUSSION: Contributions of Medical Physics are presented from the early discovery of radioactivity, development of first imaging devices, computers and emission tomography to recent development of hybrid imaging. SUMMARY: There is evidence of significant contribution of Medical Physics throughout the development of Nuclear Medicine.